Magnetic drill joint



Dec. 20, 1960 F. LE Bus, SR

MAGNETIC DRILL JOINT Filed 001;. 6, 1958 INVENTOR F L. Le Bus 5/."

BY Q WWW ATTORNEY United States Patent MAGNETIC DRILL JOINT Franklin L.Le Bus, Sr., Longview,

Longview, Tex., a partner- Filed Oct. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 765,360

3 Claims. (Cl. 294-655) This invention relates to improvements in wellbore drilling apparatus, and more particularly, but not by way oflimitation, to an improved apparatus for cleaning out the well boreduring the drilling operation.

In the drilling of well bores, and the like, metallic particlesfrequently become loose within the bore and greatly hinder the drillingoperation. For example, drill teeth, or other parts of the drillfrequently break off during the drilling process and tend to floataround the drill string with the drilling fluid. In addition, bits ofmetallic junk are frequently inadvertently dropped into the well boreduring the drilling operation. These particles of steel and iron, andthe like, are usually very hard, and may cause serious damage to thedrilling equipment within the bore. It is, therefore, desirable toeliminate these particles from the well bore. The method normallyutilized today for removal of the undesirable metallic particles fromthe well bore comprises withdrawing the drill string from the bore inorder to permit the lowering of a suitable fishing tool therein forpicking up the particles. This is a costly and time consuming operation,particularly in the drilling of relatively deep well bores.

The present invention contemplates a novel apparatus for the removal ofmetallic particles from the well bore during the drilling operation. Thepresent invention provides a magnetic drill joint adapted to beinterposed in the drill string above the drill bit in order to attractany floating metallic particles thereto as the drill string is rotatedduring the normal drilling operation. The drilling fluid normallycirculated downwardly through the drill string and upwardly in theannular space therearound tends to float the metallic particles upwardlyaround the outer periphery of the drill string and the magnetic drilljoint interposed therein. The drill joint provides a magnetic forcefield for attracting the metallic particles thereto and the magneticforce retains the particles thereagainst during the drilling operation,thus substantially eliminating any damage to the drilling equipmentwhich might result from the loose bits of junk, and the like, in thewell bore. It will be apparent that the magnetic drill joint eliminatesthe necessity of interrupting the drilling operation for the lowering ofa fishing tool within the bore to retrieve the damaging metallicparticles. The magnetic drill joint functions to clean the well boreduring the normal drilling operation and does not in any mannerinterfere with the drilling operation. The novel drill joint is simpleand eflicient in operation, and economical and durable in construction.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improvedapparatus for drilling a well bore.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus forremoving metallic particles from a well bore during the normal drillingoperation without interfering therewith.

Another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic drill jointadapted to be interposed in the drill string for attracting metallicparticles thereto during the drilling operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic drilljoint which is simple and efiicient in operation and economical anddurable in construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description, read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention.

, In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a drill string having the novelmagnetic drill joint interposed therein, and disposed within a wellbore.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of one portionof the novel drill joint.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of

a second portion of the novel drill joint.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 10 refers ingeneral to a magnetic drill joint having an upper sleeve 12 and a lowersleeve 14. The upper sleeve 12 is provided with a plurality oflongitudinally and circumferentially spaced recesses or pockets 16. Thepockets 16 preferably extend downwardly at an angle, as shown at 18(Fig. 2), for receiving a suitable magnet member 20 at the bottomthereof. The magnet 20 may be secured within the pocket 16 in any wellknown manner (not shown). It will be apparent that a magnet 20 isprovided in each of the pockets 16. The upper sleeve 12 is provided witha threaded stud member 22 at the lower end thereof as viewed in thedrawings for cooperating with a mating threaded box member 24 providedin the upper end of the lower sleeve 14 in order to secure the sleeves12 and 14 in longitudinal alignment, as is well known.

The lower sleeve 14 is provided with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced annular grooves or recesses 26.'

The walls of the recesses 26 are preferably tapered downwardly andinwardly, but not limited thereto, and are provided with a substantiallystraight sided portion 28 at the lower end thereof. An annular shoulder30 is provided on the outer periphery of the sleeve 14 adjacent thelower portion 28 of each of the grooves 26 for receiving an annularmagnet member 32 thereon. The magnet 32 may be comprised of a pluralityof arouate segments (not shown) in order to facilitate dispositionthereof on the shoulder 30 and around the sleeve 14, if desired. Themagnet 32 may be secured on the shoulder 30 in any well known manner(not shown). It will be apparent that a magnet 32 is provided on each ofthe shoulders 30. It is preferable that the outer diameter of themagnets 32 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve 14in order to protect the magnets 32 from damage or from being dislodgedduring the drilling operation.

The sleeve 14 is provided with a threaded stud member 34 at the lowerend thereof, as viewed in the drawings, for receiving a suitable drillbit 36 thereon, as is well known. In addition, the upper sleeve 12 isprovided with a threaded box member (not shown) adapted to receive thethreaded stud member (not shown) of a drill string, generally indicatedat 38 (Fig. 1). Thus, the drill joint 10 may be interposed in the drillstring 38 above the drill bit 36.

Operation The magnetic drill joint 10 is interposed in the drill string38 above the drill bit 36, as hereinbefore set forth. The drill string38 is then utilized in the usual manner for the drilling of a well bore40. As the bit 36 penetrates the bore 40, metallic particles 42, such asbroken teeth from the bit, or other steel or iron junk, or the like, maytend to collect in the annular space 44 between the shown; by thearrows; 46. The circulating fluid= tendsto float the: particles upwardlytherewith. and. around the magneticsdrilljointli).

'lhe magnets. 32:0f the lower drill joint sleeve-14pm.- vide' a magneticforce field which attracts many of the metallic particles 42, and theparticles; adhere to. the magnets 32, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Someof the particles, however, may notpass through or be caught in the;magnetic force field" of the magnets 32', or for some other reason mayby-pass' -the magnets 32; These.

particleswill; continue to' travel upwardly in the annular space 44. Itwill be apparent that the. velocity of the fluid, as. well as. thefloating particles. 42, will; decrease during the upward travel in theannular space 44,, thus permitting the-magnets;20 provided in thepockets 16. of

the. upper; sleeve 12 to magnetically attract substantially all:ofthe-metallic particles. 42 which have. by-passed the. lower magnets32. As hereinbefore set forth,,the pockets.

16. extend downwardly and angularly in. the sleeve 12. Thus, themetallic particles tend to settle down on the magnets 20. in the bottomof the pockets, andv the forceof gravity assists the magnetic force in'maintaining the particles. 42 in the pockets 16. In this manner,substantially all of the metallic particles which. may be presentinathe. annular; space 44 during the drilling operation.

will be atrractedto the magnetic drill joint 10,. and pre-- eluded fromfallingdownwardly in the well bore.

steel,.orother'metallic particles. in the well bore;

IlZ Will. be apparent that either the upper sleeve 12 or the lowersleeve 14 may be utilized separately in the drill.

string 38, if; desired, inorder to. provide. a magnetic. drill jointtherefor. However, it has been found that the combination ofthe upperand lower sleeves provides a very eflicient removal or cleaningof thewell bore duringv the drilling operation.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a novel apparatus for drilling well biores wherein a magneticdrill joint is interposed in the drill stringfor'attracting any metallicparticles which may be loose in the. well bore during the drillingoperation. The. magnetic drill joint cleans the well during the normaldrilling operation and in no manner interferes. there with, thuszgreatly facilitatingthe drilling operation by eliminating the useofspecial fishing tools for removal of. The drilling operation may proceedsubstantially uninterrupted and.

the metallic particles from the well bore.

without danger of damage to. the drilling equipment by the? loose junk,and the like, in the well bore. The apparatus is simple and-efficient inoperation and'economical and durable in construction.

The drilling fluid usually circulates around the" Thus; thedrillingequipmentwillnot be damaged by. the hard.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts asheretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings, itbeing understood that any modification in the precise embodiment of theinvention may be made within the scope of the following claims withoutdeparting from the. spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A magnetic drill joint for'a drill string which comprises a sleevemember adapted to be interposed in the drill string during the drillingof a wellbore, a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular recessesprovided on the outer periphery of the sleeve member, and outwardlyextending circumferential shoulder provided on the outer periphery ofthe sleeve member adjacent each of the recesses, an annular magnetmember secured to each of the shoulders to provide a magnetic forcefield around the sleeve in the well bore to attract metallic particlesthereto for cleaningof the well bore during the'drilling operation.

2. A magnetic drill joint for a drill string which comprises a sleevemember adapted to be interposed in the drill string during the drillingof a well bore, a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentiallyspaced recesses providedv on the outer periphery of the sleeve, saidrecesses extending inwardly and downwardly in the. sleeve,. a magnetmember secured in the bottom of each recess to provide a magnetic forcefield around. the sleeve: to

attract metallic. particles thereto whereby the particles will.

collect on: the magnet for cleaning of the well:boreduring the drillingoperation.

3. A magnetic drill joint for a drill string which comprises upper andlower sleeve members secured in longitudinal alignment and adapted. tobe interposed in the:

drill' string during the drilling of a well bore, a plurality oflongitudinally and circumferentially spaced pockets provided on theouter periphery of the upper sleeve; said pockets extending inwardly anddownwardly in the sleeve, awmagnet member secured in the bottom ofeachpocket,.a plurality of longitudinally spaced annular grooves provided ontheouter periphery of the lower sleeve'member, an outwardly extendingcircumferential shoulder providedon the outer periphery of the lowersleeve member adjacent eachof the grooves, an annular magnet membersecured to each of the'shoulders to cooperate with the first mentionedmagnet members to provide a magnetic: force field: around the upper andlower sleeves-in thewwell'. boreto attract metallic particles theretofor: cleaningthe well bore duringthedrilling operation.

References Cited in the file of this-patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,127,728 Grant Aug. 23', 1938 2,147,544 Potts Feb. 14, 1939 2,556,849.Nolley et a1. .June21,-1'951. 2,789,790 Kirby Apr. 23;.1951. 2,830,668.Kirby Apr. 15,1958

